There ought to be a PSA for home canners – This is your kitchen on bluebarb jam.
Note to self, the next time you want to make seedless jam, try and think about it before the jam is cooked. Because I bet it would be a helluva lot easier to put the berries in the food processor and then push that through a fine mesh sieve than the way I did it…which was to cook the jam and then spend an hour trying to force it through the sieve. Yes, I know Ball says not to use the Cuisinart, that it can impact the gelling of the jam. I know and I am willing to take my chances. In fact, I used the Cuisinart to make a mostly seedless version of this jam since the unfortunate incident pictured above. And it worked just fine.
I’ve given this jam away to friends, neighbors, and family. Most recently, I sent my father in law back to Florida with a 4 ounce jar when he was visiting this spring. He called me a few weeks later to say it was his favorite jam ever and he might have to schedule another trip in order to get resupplied.
In case you were wondering, this is the other half of the lemon/blueberry sauce combo.
Do you really need another reason to make this?
Bluebarb Jam
Adapted from The Complete Book of Small Batch Preserving
BAH Note: I got a solid 6 cups out of this recipe. Please note that you should have your water bath at nearly a full boil and all your jars and supplies prepped and ready to go before you start the jam because this jam is super quick to cook. I got a little creative when I realized the jam would not cook long enough for the fruit to really break down and I chose to ignore the instruction to roughly chop my blueberries (as if). Once I had added the blueberries, lemon juice, and pectin, I gave the pot a good turn or two with my immersion blender. If you’re a stickler for the rules, ignore that suggestion and go ahead and chop your blueberries…just don’t ask me to wash your cutting board.
- 3 1/2 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb, chopped
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 1/4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 box dry fruit pectin
- 5 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
Place the rhubarb and water in a large stainless steel pot or enamel dutch oven over high heat and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the blueberries, lemon juice, and pectin to the pot. Stir to thoroughly combine. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Using an immersion blender, carefully blend the mixture to smooth out the texture and break down the fruit.
Add the sugar and bring the jam to a boil, stirring constantly, letting it reach a hard boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, ladle the jam into heated jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space, and process for 10 minutes.
Let the jars cool for 24 hours before checking the seal and storing the jars. Any jars that have not sealed should be refrigerated or immediately reprocessed using new lids.
Bon Appetit Hon 
I want to swipe my finger around the bowl! YUM!
Colleen, I second that emotion. My fingers got their fair share of the jammy goodness in the bowl.
I’m sort of crushed I wasn’t called over to lick the bowl!
What, didn’t you get my text? ; ) I believe you were otherwise occupied since the jamming takes place on weekends and you’ve been consumed with wedding cakes, races, and BBC.
PS – Please don’t hold it against me when seedless raspberry jam posts later this year. I made it over the long weekend. You were definitely not available.
True that. Also, that’s the reason why my strawberries are still in the freezer and not in jam jars. But, I really wouldn’t want to give up weekends on the beach 🙂
I love the name! Bluebarb, bluebarb! I want to make this just so I can say bluebarb all day.
Jennifer, maybe this is the push you need to get jamming. Best of all, I have used frozen wild blueberries (the itty bitty ones) to make this and it is spectacular.
another fan here! and i also love to say BLUEBARB!
I may need to start a BLUEBARB fan club/support group.
I think this one is my Wendi Collection. nomnomnom
Brooke, I sure did include that in the collection you got. You seriously need to open those jars.
Me too! Let me lick the bowl!
Believe me when I say that the bowl was 100% lickable.
Yum! I’m normally not a big blueberry fan because I like more tart flavors… But, pairing it with rhubarb? I love it!
Jen, this has become one of our favorites. Of course, I opened a jar of seedless raspberry this morning and it may give bluebarb some competition!
Yum, I cam taste that Jammu goodness. I am dying to lick the bowl…. Good. I reckon this might be my fav. Yum!
I LOVE bluebarb jam! In fact, I think it was my family’s favorite last year so I’m definitely going to have to make some more as soon as I get my hands on some blueberries!
Tracy, I must confess that I use frozen blueberries when I make this jam. I forget the brand but they are labeled as “wild blueberries”. Don’t know if that’s really the case but they are very petite little berries and using them lets me enjoy bluebarb all year long.